The following report is from The Associated Press: <B>Report: Cyanide Possible Cause of Gulf Sea Animal Deaths<B> TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Hundreds of porpoises and other sea animals found dead in the Gulf of California may have been poisoned by illegally dumped chemicals, The Arizona Daily Star reported. The batch of chemicals is believed to have contained cyanide, according to PROFEPA, the Mexican agency responsible for enforcing environmental law, the newspaper reported Monday. The bodies of 307 porpoises, 51 sea lions, eight whales and about 200 birds were found floating in the Gulf in January. Evidence of cyanide was found in water and tissue samples, the paper said. Also found were traces of lead, mercury and arsenic. Investigators also found elevated concentrations of heavy metals in the livers, kidneys and muscle tissues of dead porpoises, Gulf shellfish and water samples. The porpoises were found in the northern end of the Gulf, within about 100 miles of the United States border near the Colorado River Delta. A fisherman first reported the mass deaths on Jan. 26 and subsequent aerial surveys found more than 300 bodies of longbeak and bottlenose dolphins. Also found were the bodies of finback, piked and Bryle's whales.
